


Problem Children

by sanctuary_for_all



Series: (More) Scenes From A Partnership [5]
Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: Domestic, Established Relationship, F/M, Feels, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-18
Updated: 2018-03-18
Packaged: 2019-04-04 00:19:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 958
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14008008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sanctuary_for_all/pseuds/sanctuary_for_all
Summary: Nick flopped down on the couch next to Judy. "Your parents have been asking me about children again."





	Problem Children

**Author's Note:**

> Turns out I haven't forgotten about this universe after all. Surprise!

Nick flopped down on the couch next to Judy, shifting the almost-empty pizza box aside with his foot before putting his feet up in the empty space. "Your parents have been asking me about children again."

Judy winced. Anna, Seth, Mary, Rebecca, and Robert had _all_ tried to warn her about this. "I don't know whether to feel incredibly relieved that I'm not the one they keep asking, or guilty that you're suffering in my place."

He grinned. "It's not your fault. I still smell like fresh meat." Then he gave her a pointed look. "You still have to help me come up with an answer, though. I've been using the excuse that you and I haven't talked about it, but I can tell from their faces that isn't going to work much longer."

Judy shifted, suddenly uncomfortable with the line of questioning. "They do know we're not married yet, right? We haven't even set a _date_."

"Another thing they keep harassing me about, for the record," Nick said, holding up a finger. "There, though, they actually believe me when I say the big hurdle is coordinating the time off."

She gave him an indignant look. "That _is_ what the hurdle is!" she said, throwing her paws up in the air. "I would marry you _tomorrow_ , but _you're_ the one who wants to wait until we can swing a honeymoon!"

"Just because something _is_ the truth doesn't mean anyone else will necessarily believe it," he said easily. "And I notice you're still avoiding the whole children question."

He was watching her now, the look that meant he'd miss even less than he usually did. She looked away, pretending to pay attention to the episode of "The Call" playing on TV. "Do we even have time for children? We work _all_ the time."

"We can barely make time for a honeymoon. Anyone with sense knows we can't swing children anytime soon." He tugged lightly on the tip of her ear, which was drooping distinctly. "Your folks are looking for the dream, Carrots, not the immediate practical reality."

Judy sighed, closing her eyes. "No, I think they're looking for the reality." She flopped back against the couch cushions, rolling until her face was buried against Nick's side. "They'll get the adoption papers started the minute we say yes. A hundred rabbits, minimum."

It was one of those things that most rabbits just accepted as part of the future without thinking about it. Having a ton of children was just one of those things rabbits _did_.

And it was just one more way she wasn't ever going to be like other rabbits.

She looked up in time to see Nick looking around their small apartment, the first place she always thought of whenever she said the word "home." "Yeah, that's not gonna work for us right now." Then he hesitated, looking down at Judy with a suddenly uncertain expression. "Will it ever?"

Judy didn't say anything for a long moment, knowing she needed to phrase this in exactly the right way. She'd never admitted the truth to anyone, and until Nick had crashed his way into her life she'd honestly believed it would never come up. "I don't think I ever want that many children, even if we could somehow pull it off." She tucked one arm in behind him, wrapping it around his middle. "We both have careers to worry about, and even if one of us did suddenly decide we wanted to be a stay-at-home parent we'd never have time to really be there for all of them. Being a rabbit parent is really more..." She waved a paw vaguely, trying to figure out how to put years of well-meant but distracted parenting into the back half of a sentence "...crowd control than anything else."

Now it was Nick's turn to wince. "Is there as much biting as there usually is in crowd control?"

"More."

"Yeah, okay." His shoulders sagged, and she could see a little bit of the light leave Nick's eyes. "I see your point."

She watched his face, more certain than ever that she wasn't finished with her answer. Nick had taught her more about love than she'd ever imagined possible, and over the last few months she'd started wondering if a family might be able to take a different shape than the one she'd always known. 

"But one or two of them?" she said softly, smiling a little when Nick's gaze suddenly snapped to hers. She straightened, her gaze still locked with Nick's. "Ones who start out a little bit older, who just need a chance no matter what species they are?"

"Problem children." His voice was suddenly a little thick, his eyes shining as bright as she'd ever seen them. "Like us."

"Exactly like us." She laid a paw against his cheek, excitement bubbling up about the possibilities spread out before them. "In that case, Nick, I'd love to have children with you."

They moved together into the kiss, a tangle of fur and heat and softness that always made her feel even more alive when chasing criminals did. When they broke apart, he stroked his fingers over her cheek. "Don't worry," he murmured. "I'll figure out how to spin that in a way that'll make your parents think it was their idea."

She grinned, slow and suggestive. "You know," she teased, undoing the top button of his shirt, "you're going to have to figure out a way I can pay you back for that."

He returned the grin, leaning back and pulling her down with him. "Oh, I already have a pretty good idea."

As his paws slid up her back, she bent down for another kiss. "Then I'd better make it double."  


**Author's Note:**

> Come check out my [original fiction,](https://jennifferwardell.wixsite.com/mybooks) my [blog,](http://jennifferwardell.blogspot.com) or say hi to me on [Tumblr](http://sanctuaryforalluniverses.tumblr.com)!


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